Internal-combustion engine.



W. R. GILLESP IEL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16. 1913-.

1,235, 1 33. Patented July 31, 1917.

% 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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by 2 WW W. R. GILLESPIE.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16. l9l3.

1,235,133. Patented ul 31', 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. R. GILLESPIE.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I6. I913.

Patented July 31, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 17206 VVZ'ZZz'amfZ. QZZZes bz W. R. GILLESPIE.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16. I913.

Patented July 31, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

5 r m SHHWII In van 7271' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

WILLIAM ROBERT GILLESPIE, or new YORK, 1v. Y.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed September 16, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM ROBERT GILLESPIE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York city, United States of America, have invented new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly although not exclusively to engines of this character adapted for operation by relatively heavy hydro-carbon fuel.

The invention has for its object to provide improved arrangements for effecting the operation of the engine in either direc tion of rotation as desired and enabling a reversal in direction to be accomplished in a simple and convenient manner without necessitating skilled attention.

The method adopted of effecting a reversal in the direction of rotation of the engine is that now commonly employed, namely to cause the ignition of the explosive mixture to occur toward the end of the compression stroke of the engine so as to effect an explosion during this stroke and reverse or tend to reverse the direction of movement of the piston. The cam actuating mechanism for this purpose which may either be arranged to control the point in the cycle of the engine at which liquid fuel is introduced and thereby control the instant at which ignition is effected, or in cases in which the ignition is effected separately from the introduction of the fuel, the cam mechanism may be arranged to control not only the operation of the ignition mechanism but also the operation of the admission and exhaust valves of the engine in order to produce the required reverse cycle.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 of which is a view in side elevation partly sectional of an internal combustion engine embodying the invention: Fig. 2 being a view in side elevation of the engine shown in Fig. 1, but illustrating more particularly the arrange,- ment of the controlling and reversing mechanism.

Figs. 3, st and 5 are detail views illustrating portions of the controlling mechanism shown in Fig. 2: Fig. 6 being a view illus- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Serial No. 790,026.

trating a modified construction of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an inside elevation partly sectional, similar to Fig. l, but illustrating the preferred modification of the governing mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 88 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 the engine comprises the usual operating elements, namely, a cylinder 1 provided with a piston adapted to actuate a crank shaft 2 provided with a flywheel indicated at 3. The liquid hydrocarbon fuel is arranged to be introduced into the cylinder of the engine by means of a pipe 4, the injection of the fuel being effected at the proper instant in the cycle of operations of the engine by means of one or other of two plunger pumps indicated at 5, 6 respectively in Fig. 2; the pump 5 being arranged to be operative when the engine is running in the ahead direction of rotation and the pump 6 when the engine is running in the opposite or astern direction. The two fuel injection pumps 5, 6 are both connected to the pipe 4 leading to the cylinder 1 and are each provided with a plunger 7, 8, controlled by suitable springs indicated at 9. The springs 9 serve to maintain the plungers 7, 8 of the pumps at one end of their stroke, the plungers being moved toward the opposite ends of their strokes by means of pump levers 1O, 11 respectively, pivotally mounted at 12 upon a portion of the frame of the engine. The pump levers 10, 11 are arranged to be moved upward about their pivots 12 so as to actuate the pump plungers 7 8 by means of cams 13, 1 1 respectively mounted upon the crank shaft 2, as will be hereinafter described. The outer ends of the pump levers 10, 11 are also adapted to be engaged by cams 15, 16 rigidly secured to a sleeve or bushing 17 which is anvotally mounted upon a pin 18 carried by a bracket 19'. The sleeve 17 carrying the cams 15, 16 is arranged to be rotated through an arc of approximately 180 by means of a lever 19 provided with a handle 20 and locking device 21, the locking device being adapted to engage with the upper serrated edge of a graduated are 22, the face of which bears indications of the various positions to which the lever 19 must be adjusted in order to secure the desired control of the operation of the engine. The cams 13, 1d above referred to are loosely mounted upon the crank shaft 2 and are arranged to be driven by means of an intermediate member 23 located between the cams 13, let and rigidly secured. to the crank shaft 2. The intermediate member 23 is provided on either side with pins indicated in dotted lines at 24 which project within annular grooves or slots 25 formed on the opposing faces of the cams 13, 14.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the groove 25 extends almost completely around the circumference of the cam and is preferably formed by cutting a complete circular groove in the face thereof, a small portion of which is afterward filled up by a curved block or spacing piece indicated at 26. The position of the pump levers 10, 11 is also arranged to be controlled by means of the governor mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, which comprises a weight 27 pivotally mounted on the flywheel 3. The outward movement of the weight 27 under centrifugal action is controlled by means of a spring 28 and a forked arm 29 connected to the weight 27 and partly surrounding the crank shaft 2 is arranged to engage with a pair of members 30 adapted when the speed of rotation of the engine increases beyond a predetermined limit to engage with the pump levers 10, 11 and hold them apart from one another so as to prevent the fuel pumps 5, 6 from being actuated.

The operation of this form of controlling mechanism is as follows:

The angular position of the cams 15, 16 as determined by the position to which the lever 19 has been adjusted by means of its operating handle 20, determines whether both of the pump levers 10, 11 are held out of engagement with the cams 13, 14:, as in the position shown in Fig. 2, or whether one or other of the pump levers 10, 11 is permitted to approach under the action of the corresponding spring 9 within reach of the cam 13 or 1a. When the handle 20 is moved toward the left so as to occupy a position upon the ahead portion of the are 22, the

pump lever 10 is rendered operative, and

actuated by the cam 13 operates the pump plunger '7, whereas when the handle 20 is adjusted to a position on the opposite or astern side of the are 22 the pump lever 11 is rendered operative, and actuated by the cam 14: operates the pump plunger 8.

It will thus be seen that the pump 5 serves for the injection of the fuel when the engine is running in the ahead direction, and the pump 6 for the astern direction. The position of the stop or block 26 in the cam 13 and the consequent length of the groove 25 in which the corresponding pin 24 is adapted to move, is such that when the engine is rotating in the ahead direction the pin 24: on the intermediate member 23 engages with the right-hand side of the stop 26, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, and the cam 13 will under these conditions effect a stroke of the plunger 7 to cause an injection of fuel at the proper instant for normal running in the ahead direction, that is to say, shortly before the piston of the engine reaches the top of its compression stroke. If under these conditions the controlling handle 20 is moved into the position indicated as reverse on the astern side of the are 22 as above eX- plained, the pump lever 11 is rendered operative and the pin 24 on the opposite side of the intermediate member 23 will engage with the opposite side of the stop 26 in the other cam 14, with the result that the latter cam will cause an injection of fuel during the compression stroke of the engine, producing a back fire or power stroke in the reverse direction, tending to reverse the direction of rotation of the crank shaft 2 or to reduce the speed of the latter. Such reversing fuel injections will occur at each successive revolution of the crank shaft 2 so long as the latter is rotating in the ahead direction, and the speed of the crank shaft will. consequently be reduced and ultimately its direction of rotation will be reversed. lVhen this occurs the direction of rotation of the pin 24 upon the intermediate member 28 being also reversed the cam 14 will slip upon the crank shaft 2 until the opposite side of its stop 26 engages with the corresponding pin 2* whereupon an injection of fuel at the proper instant for normal operation in the reverse direction of rotation of the crank shaft will ensue. A similar action occurs in changing the direction of rotation of the crank shaft from astern to ahead, the cam 13 slipping upon the crank shaft 2 as soon as the proper direction of rotation of the crank shaft is accomplished. The handle 20 after a reversal in the direction of rotation has been effected is moved backward toward the position indicated at full speed, the positions marked reverse upon the are 22 being such that when the handle 20 is in these positions one or other of the pump levers 10 is permitted to approach more closely toward the cam 13 or 14, owing to the shape of the cams 15, 16, with the result that a longer stroke of the pump plungers 7 or 8 is permitted so that the injection of fuel tending to effect the reversal, that is to say the injections producing a back fire, introduce a larger amount of fuel into the cylinder than is required for normal running in either direction. Intermediate positions of the handle 20 between that shown in Fig. 2 and the positions indicated at full speed on the ahead and astern sides of the arc 22 serve to vary the stroke of the plungers 7 8 respectively and consequently vary the amount of fuel injected and the consequent speed and power of the engine.

It will be understood that the length and position of the groove 25 in the cams 13, ll must be adapted to the kind of fuel employed in the engine, and such adaptation is effected by providing stops of varying length such as indicated in Figs. 4c and 5 which may be substituted for the stop 26 shown in Fig. 3, the particular fuel to which each stop is adapted being indicated upon the stops as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In order to prevent the cylinder of the engine being exposed to an excessive pressure during the back-fire above mentioned as is liable to occur for instance when the engine is reversed at too high a speed, a safety or release valve may be provided upon the cylinder.

Referring now to Fig. 6, a modified construction of pump lever is illustrated by the use of which the'separate positions for reversing indicated at reverse upon the are 22 in Fig. 2 may be avoided, the necessary increased injection of fuel for reversal being attained by a pivoted cam 31 projecting beyond the surface 32 of the pump lever 10, the cam 31 being controlled by means of a spring 33 and having a portion 34. adapted to project considerably beyond the surface 32 when the cam is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction. The edge of the portion 34 of the cam 31 is serrated and the correspond ing portion of the cam 13 coeperating therewith is also serrated as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The operation of this modification is as follows So long as the cam 13 is rotating in its normal direction the cam 31 is inoperative, the face of the cam 13 engaging with the surface 32 of the pump lever 10. \Vhen, however, the cam 13 is rotating in the opposite direction to normal the serrated portion on the cam 13 will engage with the serrated portion 3% of the cam 31 with the result that the cam 31 is rotated in an anti-clock wise direction and projects considerably beyond the surface 32, thus forcing the pump lever 10 upward to an abnormal extent and effecting a larger injection of fuel.

A similar construction is of course provided for the other pump lever 11 and as will be understood with this construction, it is only necessary to move the controlling handle 20 to an operative position, the necessary increased injection of fuel for effecting the reversal being automatically caused by the action of the cam 31.

It will be readily understood that in order to prevent excessive shocks on the various portions of the engine due to the reversing action above explained, it is very desirable that ignition of the explosive charge tending to effect a reversal in the direction of rotation should not occur while the engine is running at a high speed of rotation, but that in spite of the manually controlled lever 19 having been adjusted to a position to effect a reversal in the direction of rotation the reversing action of the cams l3, 1% should be delayed until the speed of the engine has been reduced to within a safe limit.

Accordingly a further object of the present invention is to provide a form of governor mechanism which in addition to its normal function of maintaining the speed of rotation of the engine at a desired constant value shall so control the operation of the reversing mechanism that when the manually operated lever is adjusted to effect a reversal in the direction of rotation of the engine, the operation of the cam mechanism controlling such reversal will be arrested until the speed of the engine has been reduced to below a second predetermined value at which such reversal may safely be effected.

It will be understood that in order to permit the required reduction of speed to occur, the movement of the manually operated lever 19 to cause a reversal in the direction of rotation must be arranged to effect a temporary reduction or cessation in the supply of fuel to the engine, the restoration of the supply of fuel to its normal condition being also under the control of the governing mechanism.

Referring now to Fig. 7 which illustrates the preferred form of governing mechanism for obtaining a further object of the invention, the governing mechanism is indicated as comprising a pair of revolving weights 35 pivotally mounted upon a suitable verti cal spindle 36 arranged to be driven from the crank shaft 2 of the engine through bevel gearing indicated at 37.

Each of the pivoted weights 35 is provided with an extension 38 beyond its pivot 39 so arranged that the weight 35 and the extension 38 constitute a bell crank lever.

Each of the extensions 38 is provided with two projections 40, 11 adapted to engage with the upper face of a vertical sleeve i2 surrounding the spindle 36, the projection 40 being adjacent to the end of the extension 38 and the projection 41 being nearer to the. pivot 39.

The vertical sleeve 12 is arranged to be pressed upward by means of a spring l3. A forked arm a4 is provided pivotally mounted at 45, the outer ends of the arm 4 1 being pivotally connected to a ring 40 located in a groove in an annular member 4:7 mounted on the sleet e42. The forked arm 44 is connected by means of links 48 to one ing connected by means of a pin and slot indicated at 52, to the wedge members 30, controlling the position of the pump levers 10, 11 as above described.

The manually operated lever 19 is provided with an extension 53 carrying a wedgeshaped projection 5a, the inclined face of the projection 54 being adapted, when the lever 19 is moved from its neutral position, to engage with a. member 55 connected to a pair of wedge-shaped members 58 similar to the wedge members 30. The wedge members 56 tend to remain in the position shown in the drawing under the action of a spring 57, and a retaining device 58 is provided, constituted by a vertical slide bar mounted in a guide 59 formed on or attached to the ring e6.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows:

Under normal running conditions when the engine is rotating at its full speed, the pair of wedge members 56 are in their full retracted position shown in the drawing, and thus are out of engagement with the pump levers 10, 11. Under these circumstances the governor weights 35 are during rotation in such a position that the projections are in engagement with the upper face of the sleeve 42 which is consequently depressed. If the speed increases, the sleeve 42 is still further depressed, carrying with it the ring member t6, the downward move ment of the latter being transmitted through the links 48 of the bell crank lever to, 51 to the wedge members 30 which are moved toward the left and reduce the supply of fuel to the engine as above described.

lVhen it is desired to reverse the direction of rotation of the. engine, the movement of the manually operated lever 19 through its neutral position brings the projection 54 into engagement with the projection 55, and

thereby moves the wedge member 56 toward the left into engagement with the pump levers 10, 11, so as to cut off the supply of fuel. The wedge members 56 are locked in this position by means of the retaining device 58 which moves downward behind the wedge members 56 and the latter are thus retained in their operative position until the speed of the engine is sufliciently reduced for the sleeve 42 to rise to an extent suflicient to lift the retaining device 58 and release the wedge members 56 which are thereby returned to their normal position under the action of the spring 57.

It will be understod that when the speed of the engine is reduced to a predetermined extent, the upper face of the sleeve i2 engages with the projection 41 instead of as at normal speed with the projection 40, and when this has occurred the speed of the engine must evidently be reduced to a relatively low value before the sleeve 42 is permitted to rise to its uppermost position and lift the retaining device 58. The release of the wedge members 56 permits the pump levers 10, 11 of the engine again to become operative and the reversal in the direction of rotation is effected in the manner above described.

It will be apparent that my invention is not limited to the particular form of mechanism above described or to an internal combustion engine in which fuel inject-ion pumps are employed. Furthermore, the temporary reduction or cessation of the supply of fuel to the engine when a reversal in the direction of rotation is to be effected may be caused in any suitable manner, the delay in the restoration of the fuel supply to its original condition being obtained by arresting either the action of the cam mechanism or of the ignition or admission devices actuated thereby until such time as the speed of the engine has been reduced to below the predetermined value.

What I claim is 1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of mechanism for continuously controlling the production of a power stroke for one direction of rotation of the engine, independent mechanism for continuously controllingthe production of a power stroke for the other direction of rotation, means U for rendering one or other of said mechanisms operative alternatively and means dependent upon the direction of rotation for modifying the action of the operative mechanism.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of mechanism for continuously effecting the operation of the engine in one direction of rotation, independent mechanism for continuously efiecting the opera- 2 tion of the engine in the other direction of rotation, means for rendering either of said mechanisms operative alternatively and means for modifying the action of the operative mechanism in accordance with the direction of rotation.

3. In an internal combustion engine means for controlling the production of a power stroke in one direction of rotation, independent means for controlling the production of j a power stroke in the opposite direction of rotation, a manually operated device for rendering either of said means alternatively operative, and mechanism for automatically preventing the inoperative means being rendered operative and vice versa until the speed of the engine has been reduced to a predetermined value.

4t. In an internal combustion engine the combination of means for effecting-the pro duction of a power stroke in one direction of rotation, independent means for effect ing the production of a power stroke in the opposite direction of rotation, a manually operated device for rendering either of said r c U 1 stroke in the opposite direction of rotation,

amanually controlled device for rendering either of said mechanisms operative alternatively, and means for automatically adjusting the effective angular position of the cam actuated mechanisms in accordance with the direction of rotation.

6. In an internal combustion engine the combination of a cam actuated mechanism for controlling the production of a power I stroke in either direction of rotation of the engine, means for adjusting the cam actuated mechanism to cause a reversal in the direction of rotation, and means for automatically readjusting the cam actuated mechanism subsequent to such reversal having been effected.

7. In an internal combustion engine the combination of means for injecting fuel into the cylinder of the engine for one direction of rotation, independent means for injecting fuel into the cylinder of the engine for the opposite direction of rotation, a device for rendering either of said means operative alternatively, and means dependent upon the speed of rotation of the engine for retarding the operation of said device.

8. In an internal combustion engine a cam actuated mechanism for eifecting the injection of fuel into the cylinder for one direction of rotation, a separate cam actuated mechanism for effecting the injection of fuel into the cylinder for the opposite direction of rotation, a manually operated device for rendering either of the said mechanisms operative alternatively, and means for automatically controlling the timing of said fuel injection in accordance with the direction of rotation.

9. In an internal combustion engine the combination of a device for controlling fuel vice for each direction of rotation, a cam shaft driven from the crank shaft of the engine, cams mounted on said shaft for operating each of said fuel injection devices, means for permitting each of said cams to change its angular position relative to said cam shaft, and means for causing a change in said angular position to be effected automatically when the direction of rotation of the shaft is reversed.

11. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of mechanism for controlling the production of a power stroke in one direction of rotation of the engine, independent mechanism for controlling the production of a power stroke in the other direction of rotation, a cam shaft driven from the crank shaft of the engine, a cam mounted on said cam shaft for operating each of said mechanisms, means for permitting each of said cams to change its angular position by slipping eircumferentially on said cam shaft, means for causing one or other of said cams to be operative alternatively and means for causing the operative cam to slip automatically when the direction of rotation of the engine is reversed.

12. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a fuel injection device for one direction of rotation, a separate fuel in jection device for the other direction of rotation, a cam shaft driven from the crank shaft of the engine, a cam for operating each of said fuel injection devices mounted on said cam shaft, and capable of slipping circumferentially thereon, from one angular position to another, and means for causing one of said cams to slip automatically when the direction of rotation of the engine is reversed.

13. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a separate fuel injection pump for each direction of rotation, a pivoted pump lever for each of said pumps, a cam shaft driven from the crank shaft of the engine, a cam for each of said pumps mounted on said crank shaft and engaging with a corresponding pump lever to actuate said pump during the rotation of the cam shaft, manually operated means for holding one of said pump levers out of engagement with its corresponding cam and means for causing the other of said cams to slip circumferentially on the cam shaft through a predetermined are when the direction of rotation of the engine is reversed.

14. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of mechanism for controlling the production of a power stroke for one direction of rotation of the engine, independent mechanism for controlling the production of a power stroke for the other direction of rotation, a manually controlled device capable of being moved from one position to another to render either of said mechanisms operative alternatively and means dependent upon the movement of said device from one position to another for delaying the subsequent production of a power stroke until a predetermined reduction in speed is attained.

15. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of mechanism for controlling the production of a power stroke for one direction of rotation. of the engine, inde pendent mechanism for controlling the production of a power stroke for the other direction of rotation, a manually controlled device capable of being moved from one position to another to render either of said mechanisms operative alternatively and means dependent upon the movement of said device through an intermediate position for delaying the subsequent production of a power stroke until a predetermined reduction in speed is attained.

16. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of mechanism for controlling the production of a power stroke in one direetion of rotation of the engine, independent means for controlling the production of a power stroke in the other direction of rotation, a manually controlled device for rendering either of said mechanisms operative alternatively, a speed responsive device for controlling the operation of said mechanisms and means dependent on the movement of said manually controlled device and upon said speed responsive device for suspending the production of a power stroke until a predetermined reduction in speed is attained.

17 In an intern-a1 combustion engine, the combination of a fuel injection pump for each direction of rotation, a pivoted pump lever for each of said pumps, a cam shaft rotated from the crank shaft of the engine, a separate cam mounted on said cam shaft engaging with each of said pump levers during the operation of the cam shaft, a manually operated device for varying the engagement of said cams with said cam levers in accordance with the position of said device, a speed responsive device, means operated by said speed responsive device for varying the position of said pump levers, means operated by the movement of said manually controlled device from one position to another for retaining all of said pump levers out of engagement with their corresponding cams and means dependent upon said speed responsive device for permitting said pump levers to reengage with their corresponding cams when a predetermined reduction in speed is attained.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM ROBERT GILLESPIE.

Witnesses:

A. A. BERGIN, H. A. Corn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

